Some few are indeed accustomed to work longer. These I advise, not to come on weekdays. And it is apparent, that they take this advice, unless on some rare and extraordinary occasion. But I hope, none of _you_ who turn them out of their employment, have the confidence to talk of _my_ making them idle! Do you (as the homely phrase is) cry wh―― first? I admire your cunning; but not your modesty. So far am I from either _causing_ or _encouraging_ idleness, that an idle person, known to be such, is not suffered to remain in any of our societies; we drive him out, as we would a thief or a murderer. “To shew all possible diligence,” (as well as frugality) is one of our standing rules: and one, concerning the observance of which, we continually make the strictest enquiry. 11. “But you drive them out of their senses. You _make them mad_.” Nay, then they are idle with a vengeance. This objection therefore being of the utmost importance, deserves our deepest consideration. And first, I grant, it is my earnest desire to drive all the world, into what you probably call _madness_: (I mean, inward religion) to make them just as _mad_, as _Paul_ was when he was so accounted by _Festus_. The counting all things on earth but dung and dross, so we may win Christ; the ♦trampling under foot all the pleasures of the world, the seeking no treasure but in heaven; the having no desire of the praise of men, a good character, a fair reputation; the being exceeding glad when men revile us, and persecute us, and say all manner of evil against us falsely; the giving God thanks, when our father and mother forsake us, when we have neither food to eat, nor raiment to put on, nor a friend but what shoots out bitter words, nor a place where to lay our head: this is utter _distraction_ in _your_ account; but in God’s it is sober, rational religion: the genuine fruit, not of a distempered brain, not of a sickly imagination, but _of_ the _power_ of God in the heart, _of_ victorious _love, and of a sound mind_. ♦ “trampleing” replaced with “trampling” 12. I grant, secondly, It is my endeavour to drive all I can, into what _you_ may term another species of _madness_, which is usually preparatory to this, and which I term _repentance_ or _conviction_. I cannot describe this better than a writer of our own has done. I will therefore transcribe his words.